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Charging a Hybrid from a electric source

I am wondering if there are designs underway that would allow a hybrid to be charged from an electric source in addition to the braking system? This would seem to be a simple way to use electricity even more and gas as the backup for short trips. The controls might have to be modified to use the batteries more before shifting to gas.

Charging a Hybrid from a electric source

Yes, these are called, "plug-in hybrids" and they are likely the future as cars can be plugged in at night and charged during no-peak electric hours. The altimate plug-in is essentually an electric car with a small charging motor for long trips.
There is an excellent website (www.setamericafree.com) explaining why plug-ins are important and they have some good links to groups that have made plug-ins. Unfortunately, no major car makers have commited to making plug-ins. A lack of vision.

Charging a Hybrid from a electric source

Charging a Hybrid from a electric source

Not when you consider they can get between 80 and 250 mpg! One charge costs about 25 cents and will provide about 60-80 miles before the gasoline motor actually kicks in. Here's a nice picture of the batteries actually in the car.

Charging a Hybrid from a electric source

How long does that 25 cent charge take? An hour? Overnight? On longer trips, I would not want to be searching for someone's "hospitality plug" (addmittedly, when low/out of elec. juice, I would still get good milieage on the gas engine of a Prius).
Also, having recently and unavoidably hit a deer with my Silverado, I am not so comforted about that happening to me, while in a Prius.

Charging a Hybrid from a electric source

The hybrid engines they are referrencing can be run with only gasoline with good economy..the extra batteries that are charged with plugging in are necessary to increase to the touted 100-250 mpg instead of the 40 with a regular hybrid vehicle.

Charging a Hybrid from a electric source

who would want something that you have to plug in every night anyway?? or something as crappy looking as all the electric cars? why would anyone give a rats ass if you get tax breaks if you drive a POS electric car. why would anyone give in to the government with this BS force you to drive a POS tactic. like bread our freedom is being forced from us one slice at a time,, wake up and realize this people before we have no feedom left. DRIVE WHAT YOU WANT. NOT WHAT THE GOVERNMENT FORCES YOU TO!! id highly recommend to you, go buy a 35 yr old muscle car. emmissions exempt!! and tell your government to *%@* off as your burning off the tires in front of the court house. tell them to keep there electric cars as there wifes might find some use for the batteries!!!!!!

Charging a Hybrid from a electric source

Plug-in hybrid cars are coming. You will have the option of plugging it in, but you won't have to. The car will drive and work just like a conventional hybrid. The decision of whether or not to plug it in or not is simple economics. In our area, plugging it in will cut your fuel costs by almost 90% for the first 40 to 60 miles. This is well within most people's daily commute.
They don't have to be tiny underpowered vehicles either. Dr. Andy Frank at UC Davis has a 325 HP SUV that gets over 30 mpg when it is running on gasoline. The only time it will need to run gasoline will be for long trips. The rest of the time it will simply fill up at home or work by plugging it in each night.

"Plug-in hybrid cars are

Hybrids-Plus out of Boulder

Hybrids-Plus out of Boulder and Hymotion make plug in conversion for the Toyota Pirus and the Boulder company also makes a conversion for the Ford Escape hybrid. These conversion are not cheap-as much as 36,000 dollars. There is a short or no warranty either and this modification will likely void you Factory warranty.

It should also be mention that hybrids recharge their hybrid battery state of charge in more ways than just braking. Details can be found in other threads on this site and elsewhere.

Mileage also have a number of variables involved including temperature. See other threads for details.